Tech Xplore - piezoelectric

Why you don't want 'phantom energy' on a spacecraft

You may not have heard of piezoelectric materials, but odds are, you have benefitted from them.

May 8, 2023

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Engineers tap into good vibrations to power the Internet of Things

In a world hungry for clean energy, engineers have created a new material that converts the simple mechanical vibrations all around us into electricity to power sensors in everything from pacemakers to spacecraft.

May 3, 2023

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Non-reciprocal acoustoelectric amplifiers for very high frequency sound waves

In recent years, teams of engineers worldwide have been trying to develop acoustic devices based on piezoelectrics (i.e., materials that can produce electricity when mechanical stress is applied to them) integrated with conventional ...

Feb 27, 2023 feature

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A precision arm for miniature robots

Until now, microscopic robotic systems have had to make do without arms. Now, researchers at ETH Zurich have developed an ultrasonically actuated glass needle that can be attached to a robotic arm. This lets them pump and ...

Jan 13, 2023

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Bio-friendly, self-powered sensor technology that can accurately analyze exercise posture

A joint research team led by Professor Kim Hoe-joon of the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering and Professor Hong Seon-ki of the Department of Physics and Chemistry has developed a high-efficiency piezoelectric ...

Dec 14, 2022

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Engineers fabricate a chip-free, wireless, electronic 'skin'

Wearable sensors are ubiquitous thanks to wireless technology that enables a person's glucose concentrations, blood pressure, heart rate, and activity levels to be transmitted seamlessly from sensor to smartphone for further ...

Aug 18, 2022

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New wind sensor uses smart materials to improve drone performance

Engineers have designed and successfully tested a more efficient wind sensor for use on drones, balloons and other autonomous aircraft.

Aug 8, 2022

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Keeping refrigerants flowing steadily in HVAC units

Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have demonstrated that microchannel heat exchangers in heating, ventilation and air conditioning units can keep refrigerants evenly and continually distributed through the insertion ...

Aug 1, 2022

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Tiny devices pave way for self-charging smart tech

Self-charging smartwatches and health trackers could be a step closer following the development of tiny mechanical devices powered by movement, a study suggests.

Apr 26, 2022

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Researchers develop a paper-thin loudspeaker

MIT engineers have developed a paper-thin loudspeaker that can turn any surface into an active audio source.